Children have a natural urge to play. Playing is essential to both their personal and knowledge development, their attitudes and values in life, even their identity and survival. Gender, Sex and Children’s Play, by Jacky Kilvington and Ali Wood, explores the role and nature of play in children’s lives. The book is for anyone who wants to guide and understand children’s behaviour, including students and service professionals, teachers and parents.

The authors look at why and how children play, differences in the play behaviours of boys and girls, varying definitions of play, changing notions of permissible play behaviour depending on historical and social context, and how different kinds of activities affect children’s development. They also consider what causes gender differences in play activities, including sexual play.

Children’s play behaviour is both biologically determined and socially acquired. Not surprisingly, a child’s sense of gender and sexuality is normally impacted by...